The Science Spot Lady's Blog

Monday, January 4, 2016

As a new year begins, I find myself sorting through the assortment of apps on my tablet as well as bookmarks on my laptop. Over the next month I will share my favorites with you.

Padlet - A great online app for gathering student responses on a specific topic! Check out their blog at http://blog.padlet.com/ for more ideas. Here are some of the ways I've used this resource:Chemistry: I had students find chemical formulas for compounds that contained a specific element (one they had used during the Bonding Basics lesson). They had to post the common and scientific name along with the chemical formula. Forensic Science - I have also used it to reinforce unit vocabulary by challenging students to find ways to use specific words in sentences or share pictures that illustrate their meanings. The padlet pages can be printed and used as a word wall.

Unit Outlines - You can set up a padlet to list links to online resources for a unit. The padlet allows you to layout the page in the format you feel is best for students. Plus you can add new resources recommended by your students.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Thanks to a subscriber on the Middle School Science E-group for sharing this cool resource ... Coloring with Cell. This free download offers an assortment of coloring pages that can be used with your biology curriculum!

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Looking for a way to get each class off to a great start? Try a Science Starter! Go to http://sciencespot.net/Pages/starters.html to access the main page.

Science Starters are PowerPoint files set up to use as warm-ups for your classes. They are available on an assortment of topics. Some are used to review past topics, while others reinforce knowledge from recent lessons. I also use some to build interest in new topics or access the level of background knowledge my students have when we start a new unit.

I will be uploading new starters over the next year as they are created. Do you have files to share? E-mail them to me and I'll upload them to the website for everyone to access.

As with many things in my life, things get hectic when it's time to head back to school. One of the things keeping me busy is redesigning the curriculum for our 7th & 8th grade science classes. New textbooks, the continuation of our 1:1 laptop program, and aligning our program with NGSS leads to lots of resources to examine to find those that best meet our needs and will engage the students in the learning process.

Visit my NGSS resource page at http://sciencespot.net/Pages/refdeskNextGen.html for some great links to help you align your lessons to the new standards. One of my favorite resources is the Concord Consortium. You can choose by topic or standard and find lessons, activities, and projects that are ready-to-use! If you haven't already visited PBS Learning Media, be sure to find time to do so. This site offers videos, links to interactive activities, and classroom lessons on a variety of topics. It is one of my first resources to check when I am looking for new ideas!

What are your favorite resources to use to find new ideas? Please comment and share the URLs with all of us.

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Another school year will be starting for me in a few days! As with any new year, I am always looking for new ideas to start off the school year and get the students excited about science.

One of my favorite activities from last year was the First Day Survey (using Google Forms with our new 1:1 laptop program). I used the student responses on the second day and went
over my responses to the questions. It was a great way to get to know the students plus
they learned a bit about me and the things we have in common. I also found ways to refer back to their responses during lessons and activities throughout the year.

Here are some other ideas to try ...

The Nature of Science - I plan to try this one with my kids during the first week. I love any activity that challenges students to think and work together to solve a problem - something I want them to do all year! This activity also reinforces the notion that science is not always one answer and we discover new things every day!

Biology Corner - Saving Sam - A great team-building activity that will challenge your students to think on the first day. (Be sure to explore the rest of the website for tons of fabulous ideas!)

First Day Mystery - I love this idea and have a feeling the students will enjoy it as well. They love solving mysteries during my CSI unit and I can start off the year with a few of my favorite ones in this format.

Friday, July 31, 2015

I have been using ISNs in my 8th grade classroom for the past several years and love them! My students also love using their notebooks and they help every child - those who love to organize and those that find organization a challenge. Many of my fellow teachers (grades 5-8) have also been using them for math and language arts with great results.

Go to http://sciencespot.net/Pages/ISNinfo.html to find a listing of resources you can use to implement ISNs in your classroom. Scroll down the page to find a listing of tips & tricks as well as FAQs I have received from Science Spot visitors. You can start simple and build from there. Do a search on Pinterest to find other great ideas.

Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or need ideas to help you make the most of ISNs. In my 25 years of teaching, these have been one of the most valuable tools I have utilized!

Blog Archive

About Me

I am a 7th & 8th grade teacher in Central Illinois. I teach general science, forensic science, and technology. I am also the creator of the Science Spot, an award-winning website for middle school teachers and students. I have presented at many local, state, and national science conferences and enjoy networking with other science teachers around the world through the Middle School Science E-group at Yahoo.